Julie and Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously.
Review:
My desire to read this book came after I saw the movie. Normally I like to read a book before I see the movie, but in this case I just really wanted to see the movie. After I watched it, I got curious about the book.
The book is mainly a nonfiction memoir of a year of obsessive cooking. There are little elements of creative nonfiction interspersed throughout when Julie Powell imagines dialogue and scenarios that Julia Child lived based on her husband's letters and such.
The contrast between Julia Child's life and Julie Powell's life is not so great in the book because the book is mainly just about Julie Powell. And while I definitely enjoyed the Julia Child part of the movie, I sincerely enjoyed getting to know Julie Powell through the book. She was much more entertaining in the book with a much fouler mouth. Reading her descriptions of some of the cooking situations, like trying to get the marrow out of a cow bone or making a beef aspic, made the book grossly hilarious.
I would say to anyone who enjoyed the movie that the book is a must read.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Review #8: Faking 19 by Alyson Noel
Faking 19 by Alyson Noel
Review:
I know that some of these reviews are short, but I'm mainly writing these for myself as a way of remembering the 100 books I am reading this year. If anyone happens to read them, I'm sorry if they aren't more detailed.
I read this book because I was reading other books by Alyson Noel, and I had read some favorable reviews comparing this book to Feeling Sorry For Celia by Jaclyn Moriarty.
While both books do deal with teens with broken lives and how each teen struggles to fix those lives. However, Faking 19 fails to bring depth to her main character, Alex.
Alex does a lot of whining and even when she sees that her friend, M, is in a terrible downward spiral she doesn't take action. Even after M lets her mother think that Alex stashed drugs at M's house, Alex doesn't do anything. She simply floats through the book.
I really didn't enjoy this book much. It felt flat, and unconvincing.
Review:
I know that some of these reviews are short, but I'm mainly writing these for myself as a way of remembering the 100 books I am reading this year. If anyone happens to read them, I'm sorry if they aren't more detailed.
I read this book because I was reading other books by Alyson Noel, and I had read some favorable reviews comparing this book to Feeling Sorry For Celia by Jaclyn Moriarty.
While both books do deal with teens with broken lives and how each teen struggles to fix those lives. However, Faking 19 fails to bring depth to her main character, Alex.
Alex does a lot of whining and even when she sees that her friend, M, is in a terrible downward spiral she doesn't take action. Even after M lets her mother think that Alex stashed drugs at M's house, Alex doesn't do anything. She simply floats through the book.
I really didn't enjoy this book much. It felt flat, and unconvincing.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Review #7: Liar by Justine Larbalestier
Liar by Justine Larbalestier
Review:
I'm not going to post a synopsis for this book because I don't know that I could find or write a synopsis that would adequately explain this book.
The main character in the book is a girl named Micah, who tells you right off the bat that she is a pathological liar. That said, she promises that she is going to tell the truth to you, the reader, because it is important that you understand what happened and that you believe her.
What happened? Well, that's the main mystery of the book. Micah's supposed boyfriend (secret boyfriend actually) was found dead in the park after he had been missing for several days. As the story unfolds, Micah tells you that he was murdered.
The narration is told in Micah's voice in an extremely conversational tone. The plot jumps back and forth between the present and the past, adding to the confusing nature of the story.
I have never read a book before where I doubted everything the narrator told me. It was a fascinating experience as a reader. By the end of the book, I will admit, I really began to doubt everything Micah said because there was just so much about it that wasn't even plausible. And yet...there was a part of me that desperately wanted to believe her.
I highly recommend this book even if you aren't into thrillers or young adult books. It's just a fascinating read.
Review:
I'm not going to post a synopsis for this book because I don't know that I could find or write a synopsis that would adequately explain this book.
The main character in the book is a girl named Micah, who tells you right off the bat that she is a pathological liar. That said, she promises that she is going to tell the truth to you, the reader, because it is important that you understand what happened and that you believe her.
What happened? Well, that's the main mystery of the book. Micah's supposed boyfriend (secret boyfriend actually) was found dead in the park after he had been missing for several days. As the story unfolds, Micah tells you that he was murdered.
The narration is told in Micah's voice in an extremely conversational tone. The plot jumps back and forth between the present and the past, adding to the confusing nature of the story.
I have never read a book before where I doubted everything the narrator told me. It was a fascinating experience as a reader. By the end of the book, I will admit, I really began to doubt everything Micah said because there was just so much about it that wasn't even plausible. And yet...there was a part of me that desperately wanted to believe her.
I highly recommend this book even if you aren't into thrillers or young adult books. It's just a fascinating read.
Review #6: Art Geeks and Prom Queens by Alyson Noel
Art Geeks and Prom Queens by Alyson Noel
Synopsis:
Rio Jones is the new girl at an exclusive southern California private school. She is drawn to kids in the art crowd initially including Jas, who quickly becomes her romantic interest. When the most popular girl in school decides to befriend Rio, her life quickly spins out of control.
Review:
This book was a quick, snappy read, and definitely enjoyable for the most part. The characters were a little two-dimensional at times, and a great deal of the plot seemed lifted directly from "Mean Girls." Still if you aren't looking for total originality, this is a fun read.
Synopsis:
Rio Jones is the new girl at an exclusive southern California private school. She is drawn to kids in the art crowd initially including Jas, who quickly becomes her romantic interest. When the most popular girl in school decides to befriend Rio, her life quickly spins out of control.
Review:
This book was a quick, snappy read, and definitely enjoyable for the most part. The characters were a little two-dimensional at times, and a great deal of the plot seemed lifted directly from "Mean Girls." Still if you aren't looking for total originality, this is a fun read.
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